By: Saliho Donzo

Photo on Flickr by Dead Air

The  killing of about six million Jews during World War II by the Nazis, which led to the flight of many to the diaspora, is called the Holocaust. So after critically analyzing Liberian society many pundits have decided to equate tribalism to the Holocaust in Liberia.

This evil phenomenon has been, and is still, eating the cells of our society, but fortunately we have recognized the virus. Yet the healing process is taking more time than expected.

Tribalism in Liberia has grown tentacles, which have stretched into every sector of the society sucking the humanity from us and dividing us amongst ourselves.

Recent studies had shown that one of the root causes of the Liberian civil war was tribalism. In our society, certain people are judged, not by their characters or what they are capable of doing, but by their names, certain religious or cultural affiliations, their way of dressing, dialects, and marks on their forehead or other parts of their body.

In this public manner, we are calling on all Liberians to see the reason beyond all things for the betterment of the country. It is often said that, “In union strong success is sure, and we shall not fail.”

Let me share with you a very painful story on how this tribalism is indeed not in our interest as a nation. One day some friends of mine gathered in order to visit another friend of ours because his wife who was from a different tribe had given birth to a baby boy. In respect of our culture they bought some gifts for the baby and his mother and even brought some money to them. So when the mother saw this nice gesture she was delighted. Then one of the visitors said to the mother of the child, “Your son is a good boy, may God make him president one day.” The mother then replied, “God  forbid! Mandingo man cannot be president of our country !” She was talking about her own son. Imagine, this shows the level of demarcations, tribal injustice, insecurities, and humiliations, that we have in our society by our own people.

It is about time to rebuild our country so let us not continue to be biased, sectarian, or limited in our decision making.